PSG approach Manchester City superstar's agents over potential transfer – Reports
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have reportedly contacted Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne's agents over a potential move in 2024.
The Parisians underwent a massive squad refresh in the summer transfer window after Luis Enrique's appointment as Christophe Galtier's replacement. They added Manuel Ugarte, Lee Kang-in and Cher Ndour for a joint sum of close to £71 million earlier this summer.
Now, according to Todofichajes, PSG are hoping to strengthen their midfield even further with De Bruyne's services next summer. They are said to have approached the Belgian's representatives amid reports about Manchester City stalling contract extension talks.
Enrique's outfit, who dished out over a staggering £300 million on 13 new players, could manage to convince the former Chelsea midfielder to join them with a hefty contract. They also have the financial muscle to lodge a bid big enough to entice Manchester City.
PSG are also said to be prioritizing De Bruyne's signature due to their fears about Kylian Mbappe potentially joining Real Madrid in the future. They are also looking to add a talismanic presence in midfield after Marco Verratti's £39 million summer move to Al-Arabi.
De Bruyne, whose current contract is set to expire in June 2025, would prove to be an excellent coup for PSG. He could form a well-balanced midfield troika with first-team starters like Manuel Ugarte and Vitinha.
A KRC Genk academy product, the 32-year-old playmaker guided Manchester City to a prestigious treble triumph past campaign. He scored 10 goals and contributed a whopping 31 assists in 49 games for his club.
However, De Bruyne has failed to maintain his run of form in the ongoing 2023-24 season owing to a hamstring injury. He picked up the problem in his side's 3-0 Premier League win at Burnley last month.
What did Manchester City's Pep Guardiola say about the PSG target's recent injury?
Last month, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola asserted that PSG target Kevin De Bruyne was fit to start against Burnley. He told reporters during a post-match press conference:
"It's the hamstring again. Same position. I don't know [how long he will be out]. It depends on the magnitude of the injury. Of course, he's down because he fought a lot. He felt really good and I spoke with him. He wanted to start. To play for 45 minutes was the idea. He has to free his mind and he'll be back for sure."
In the Belgian's absence, Guardiola has relied heavily on Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden as his team's main creative outlets. He has also fielded Julian Alvarez in a withdrawn role behind Erling Haaland at times.
Meanwhile, De Bruyne has been the standout performer for City since arriving for an initial £54 million from VfL Wolfsburg in 2015. He has helped them lift a total of 15 trophies so far, making 358 appearances.